People In Your Life Make All The Difference
by JP5683
Summary: Chapter added 8-31-04. FINALLY! After events of the movie, things are different. Or are they? What will happen over the rest of the summer? Are L & G together? K & E? Will Kate and Lizzie become friends again? Dun dun dun dun!
1. Author's Note

**

Author's Note 

------------- 

**

Ok, here we go! A second story from me, finally! 

First, of all, if you don't know, I write a lot of Author's Notes, you'll have to read them, or skip them, but don't skip the story, please. 

I honestly didn't know if I had another story in me, especially when I heard about Disney announcing their would be no 'high school' Lizzie, and probably no movie sequel. An animated series would be interesting, but without Ms. Duff, it just isn't the same. 

In a way, this is a 'quasi' sequel to my other fic. It starts off where the movie ends, but I may write little flashbacks here and there, to the movie, the show, and my other story. So, if you haven't seen the movie, or read my other fic, you may have parts spoiled for you here. 

There is no 'toon Lizzie' here, no "blah blah POV", but you'll know who is thinking/saying what.

This section is expanding like mad. But it'll never catch Buffy for most stories here on the TV side of FF. I hope that I can still add something here that is just a little bit different than all the other stories. 

I made a rule for myself last time, to post at least every three days, a rule I had to break near the end. Some stories now have three to five chapters up within three days. I may surprise myself and do the same, but I doubt it. I hope you're willing to wait for each chapter. Shouldn't take too long, and hopefully, it will be worth it. 

Last time, I had most of my story written out, and just punched it up when I typed it. Not so this time. I've had a hundred ideas and scenarios run through my head, but never when I was able to write them down. So this time, I'm winging it. 

If you read my other story, you also know I used a LOT of songs in it. I still don't consider my work to be a songfic. I used about fifty songs in the other story, but only complete lyrics to three tracks. Not sure how many songs will be used here. Email me if you've got suggestions. 

I thank each and everyone who read and reviewed my last story, and I thank each and everyone who will read this story. I reply to all email, and love all y'all. 

I am registered with "Support Services" so you can get updates the exact second that I update if you like. 

You can email me at JP5683@msn.com MSN IM JP5683@msn.com Yahoo IM JP5683 AOL IM JP five 683 

Thanks once again to all members of the Lizzie McGuire board at TVTome, (some of whom are now at digitalbeansmoothie@yahoogroups) and the members of Hilarydufffans@yahoogroups. 

Thanks also to four very special people who really helped me a lot. 

Comm, you read my story, when you barely knew anything about the show, and now you're a LM addict too. Thanks for all the help, and whatnot. 

Sesen, Jaime, Melissa, you reviewed your you-know-whats off, and put up with me in email land as well. You three are fantastic. 

I did a lot of thank yous in the other story, I won't go over all of them, but remember... 

_ You rock, don't ever change, and only, I really mean it.--- Gordo _

_ 'Cause you DO rock, and you SHOULDN'T change! --- Ethan _

Last story, I didn't reveal where the title meant or came from until the end. This time, I'll tell you. I stole it from a certain Cox Communications commercial that I've seen approximately 9,000,000,000,000 times. The meaning should be pretty self-explanatory. 

I am giving this story a PG rating, just in case. Not sure if it will warrant it or not, but... 

Please click the little button at the top right or bottom right corner for the 'real' Chapter #1. Thanks! 

JP 

July 26. 2003 


	2. Love In An Elevator

** . **

A/N I wrote this chapter like a whole month after I wrote the first chapter/author's note... And it took like about another month to write this. 

Disclaimer- I do not work for Disney or Ren Mar Studios, so I don't have anything to do with Lizzie McGuire other than being a very big fan 

On to Chapter 1... 

Chapter 1 

Love In An Elevator 

--------------------------- 

Ok, now what? They approached the elevator, and he reached out, and hit the 'Down' button. His instincts told him to run, but he just couldn't. After all, this was what he'd always wanted. Wasn't it? A sign that Lizzie might like him back? He wrestled with his inner demons, as the elevator arrived. He opened the doors, and backed up, letting her in first. 

Slowly, numbly, he entered the cage a half step behind his lady love, and swiftly closed the doors. He pressed the 'down' button again, this time from the inside. He turned to look at her. God, she was beautiful. Of course, she could be wearing a potato sack, and she'd still be the most beautiful thing in the world. 

She flashed him one of her million dollar smiles, and he quickly averted his gaze. He hoped she wouldn't realize that he had been staring. A sickening thought just hit him. She had kissed him, and he hadn't kissed back! A golden opportunity ruined! Ugh. He felt faint. He bent his head forward, and began to breathe deeply. He would NOT hyperventilate with Lizzie here. He glanced around him. The space inside the very small room was well, very small. 

Oh no! Now he was feeling claustrophobic as well. The elevator was taking what seemed like hours to reach the first floor. Just a few more seconds, he could make it. But then, he'd have to face ten of his classmates, and the other three members of the McGuire clan. No way was he strong enough for this. 

Air, he needed air. Wouldn't the elevator EVER reach bottom? He silently urged it along, as he tried to control his breathing... 

Lizzie had walked just ahead of Gordo to the elevator. She had thought the kiss at the picture was something, but this, this was just incredible. But what did it mean? It most definitely was not just a crush, but then what was it? She entered the elevator without even knowing it. She stood across from Gordo, thinking, contemplating. She turned and smiled at him, then turned quickly back. She didn't know what to do. The silence was deafening. She waited a few seconds, took a deep breath, and turned back once again to him. 

He was bent over, almost as if in pain, in the opposite corner. She'd heard the expression plenty of times, but this was the first time she'd ever seen someone actually 'looking green''. Her voice broke the silence. "Gordo? A-are you ok?" 

He straightened up as quickly as possible, to avoid showing her how seriously sick he was feeling. He moved a little too quickly, and stumbled, and fell at her feet. He looked up at her angelic face, which seemed so full of concern. He could look at her all day and still want more. 

Her voice must have surprised him, for the next thing she knew, he was down on the ground in front of her. He looked at her, and tried to smile, but she knew something was up. Why did he always feel that he had to put on an "it's ok" act for her? She reached out her hand, and he accepted it, and she helped him try to stand. He ended up leaning part of his weight on her, with his hand on her shoulder. Strange, but it felt like it belonged there. His weight wasn't a bother to her, but rather a comfort. 

For a brief second, their eyes met, and suddenly he realized the position they were in. He quickly apologized, and backed up a few steps, just as the elevator finally hit bottom. His momentum, and the unexpected stopping of the elevator carried him backwards, and into the doors.. Smiling sheepishly, he rubbed at his side, and opened the elevator. 

She gave him a half-smile. She was usually the clumsy one, it surprised her to see him in this position. He stood just outside the elevator, waiting for her to follow. She took a deep breath, and moved forward. She walked past him a few steps, then turned to look back. He hadn't moved away from the elevator's doors. The car was still open. 

"Gordo?" He seemed frozen. She tried calling him again, a little louder this time. "Gordo!" Still no reponse. He didn't look so good. She walked over to him, and waved her hand in front of his face. He blinked, and turned to her, still in a daze. He shook his head, as if he was shaking away the cobwebs from his mind. His curls bounced and landed differently. Boy, his hair was getting thick and bushy! If she could just run her fingers through it once, and... No! She shook her own head, to erase the thought, and as she did, her hair flipped and almost hit him. 

He let out a barely audible sigh. She just didn't KNOW what a simple hair flip did to him. Lucky for him, as usual, she didn't notice. "Lizzie? Uh, I don't feel so good, and I have to unpack my stuff, maybe I should go back upstairs, and put my stuff back, then rest." 

"I'll go with you and help!" She took a step forward, but he reached out and stopped her. 

"No, I'll be fine. Like you said, you can't afford any more trouble. You better get back before they miss you." 

"Miss me? What about you?" 

"I'll be fine," he repeated. "No one will miss me. Go, Lizzie." He quickly entered the elevator, and closed the doors. Before she could argue any further, it was making its way back up. "Wait!" she thought, "I'LL miss you!" Too late, he was gone. Stunned, she turned, and walked back to the hotel lobby. Surprisingly, her brother was the first person she encountered. 

"Hi, Matt!" It was probably a trick, but it almost looked as if he had been crying. He was staring into the fountain. He didn't respond to her, so she kept going. 

She walked back into the lobby and tried to remain nonchalant. She walked over and took a half sandwich from one tray, a cookie from another. She selected a chair close enough to everyone so that nothing would seem out of the ordinary, yet far enough that she wouldn't have to deal with them just now. Everyone seemed so happy. She should be happy as well, shouldn't she? She wasn't quite sure. After a minute or two, she heard Ms. Ungermeyer's unmistakable voice. 

"Attention all students! Please gather in front of the check-in area. NOW!" 

Same old Ungermeyer, still yelling, but at least this time, she had said 'Please'. Lizzie joined the rest of her classmates by the front desk, and all of them stayed standing, except Ethan. He looked rather annoyed that this meeting had been called, and in his hand, he held a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. He sat down to finish the last few bites. Lizzie's father stood in the back of the crowd, just listening. 

"All right, where is Mr. Gordon?" Ten people shook their heads, and/or shrugged. Lizzie tried to make herself invisible. "Ms. McGuire. Perhaps you can tell us what happened to Mr. Gordon?" She stared at her, waiting for an answer. 

"He, uh, uh," she cleared her throat, and tried again. "He didn't feel so good, and he has to unpack his suitcase now that he's back, so he went up to his room to take it easy." 

Ms. Ungermeyer thought a minute. "I hope, that for your sake, that you are telling me the truth. I'm sure you realize by now, that if you tell me lies, I WILL find out." She paused. "Oh, well. It doesn't matter right now. Mr. Gordon can be filled in later on what I am about to say. Oh, Sergei? Will you please come here?" She montioned to the large man, who was quietly standing off to the side. "For anyone who doesn't know, this is Sergei. He's out of work right now, so I offered him a little job. Please introduce yourself to the children." 

He took off his sunglasses, and smiled. "I, am Sergei." He put his sunglasses back on, and stood next to Ms. Ungermeyer. 

"Yes... you are," she said, as she resumed her speech to her class. "Tonight, I have learned that there was a little deception taking place the last few days, with one particular student. And three of you knew about it, and kept the secret. So, this is mainly for Mr. Gordon, and the three of you." She pointed at Lizzie, Kate, and Ethan. "We have five days left in Rome, and Sergei will move into Mr. Craft and Mr. Gordon's room, and I will move into Ms. Sanders and Ms. McGuire's room. This will be so we can keep an eye on you at ALL times." She let this sit with the perpetrators for a bit, then continued. "Since my room will now be empty, Mr. and Mrs. McGuire, and their son Matthew will stay there until the end of our trip, when they will accompany us home." 

"Wait, you don't have to do that, we'll just go sleep in the lobby at the airport. There should be a plane back home in the morning." Sam McGuire protested to no avail. He had wondered what the meeting was about, but had stayed out, that is, until he was mentioned. 

"Mr. McGuire. Zip it. Take the room." Shocked, he nodded, and went off to find his wife and son. Once again, Ms. Ungermeyer had the floor. "Alright, now where was I? Oh, yeah. The last few days here in Rome were supposed to be 'free' days for all of you, but that's not going to happen. Ms. McGuire, since you missed so many points of interest, and Sergei has spent his whole life here, he is going to take you for a tour of all the places we've been, while you've been off doing whatever it is you've been doing. And since Mr. Gordon helped in your plans, he will be joining you. He's quite knowledgable, so he'll be able to help you learn things in half the time he did. And Ms. Sanders, Mr. Craft. You will be joining them. Mr. Craft, it can only do you good to revisit what you've seen, and Ms. Sanders, I'm sure you can reinforce what the other three already know." 

Lizzie and Kate looked at her, not believing what they just heard. Ethan, as usual, was in his own little world. Presently, he was licking the remains of the sauce from the plate that had held his spaghetti dinner. Amazingly, Ms. Ungermeyer STILL wasn't through. 

"As for the rest of you, you will come with me, again on the bus, but this time to do what YOU want. Shop, re-visit places we've been, explore places we didn't see. Your choice. Now, scram, all of ya!" She turned, and motioned for Sergei to follow, and they both left the room. The group disbanded, and Lizzie left to find her parents. 

She found them sitting on a long bench, her mother sitting next to Matt, while trying to console him. Her father was on the opposite end, going through what looked to be a briefcase. Wait, that was Matt's writing on that junk. She saw her name on a few of the items, and in the corner of the case, a familar pink pig. She quickly grabbed it, and turned to her brother. "I don't know WHAT else you have there, and I really, really do NOT care. But this, this is mine, and I'll thank you not to steal my stuff!" She walked away in a huff, while examining the toy. 

It was slightly dirty. She walked over to the fountain, and splashed a little water on her friend, then went to get a cloth napkin from the dining tables to dry him. She sat down, and did a quick cleaning job on the stuffed animal. Didn't help, it needed a good wash. How many secrets had she told this pig? She held it carefully, as she told it another. "Oh, Mr. Snuggles, what am I supposed to do now? I think I like Gordo, but isn't that wrong? How can I like my best friend like that? I thought he liked me, but how can I be totally sure?" She began to cry and she hugged her pal closer, and let the tears fall. 

** A/N Ok, I really pondered over what to do here, the book doesn't give any clue as to how long it was from 'the kiss' to the plane ride home. And seeing six or seven 'checkpoints' a day, when they were there for two full weeks sounded a little much. So they have extra days left... **

This chapter took a long time, because I didn't write it in the same manner as I did chapters in my other story. Also most days, I got to 'doing other stuff' and didn't write more than a sentence or two... I'll try to write the next faster. Sorry! 

Review if you like, or email at JP5683@msn.com or IM me (AOL JP five 683 Yahoo JP5683 MSN JP5683@msn.com) All email will be replied to, anyone leaving a review with an email attached will be contacted, unless you instruct me otherwise. 

Thanks! 

JP 

July 26, 2003 


	3. Has The Moment Of Truth Passed Me By?

** A/N I started a two and a half week vacation the day I posted the first part of this story, so you'd think I'd have added a few more chapters by now. Sorry. Vacation is just about over. Hopefully the next chapter will be up in less time. No guarantees, but I'll sure try. **

I have plenty of things I want to work into the story, just don't know yet exactly how. Any ideas or questions, email or IM me. 

Thanks muchos for the reviews (Piper! Jillybean9! JessDracoLover24! Keeponwritin! Moo! Britfan1! Tic-Tac!), and thanks as well to everyone who is reading, but not reviewing. (Reviews are much appreciated, but in no way ever required.) 

Disclaimer - Own nothing related to anything in this story. Song used is property of ASCAP/BMI, its writers, producers, the artist, and record label. Lizzie McGuire is the property of Disney and Ren-Mar studios.

On to Chapter 2... 

Chapter 2 

Has The Moment Of Truth Passed Me By? 

-------------------------------------------------------------- 

He rode the elevator back up with a heavy heart. He should be ecstatic, dancing around, walking on cloud nine, but it just wasn't so. Why? Because not only had he missed yet ANOTHER opportunity with Lizzie, but here he was leaving her behind and going back to his room. He would do anything for her, but just couldn't face everyone right now. Everyone thought he was so cool and collected, but whenever under pressure, he just seemed to implode. 

He didn't know what to think right now. He had known Lizzie forever, and they knew each other so well, yet not at all. The car arrived on the second floor, and sighing heavily, he turned around, opened the doors and got out. He walked away without closing the doors. Let everyone walk up the stairs, he didn't feel like letting the elevator go back. 

He patted his pockets looking for the key to the room he was sharing with Ethan. Hmmm... two paper clips, four pennies, and a two week old receipt for a large pina colada smoothie from the Digital Bean. He didn't want to have to go down and ask Ethan for his copy. He stopped and thought a minute. He furrowed his brow trying to remember where he had put it. 

Oh yeah! He had given the key back to Miss Ungermeyer before he had left for the airport. Crap. That meant he HAD to go back downstairs. He wasn't even sure his suitcase had returned with him. He took a step forward, then turned back. It was a longshot, but worth a try. He jiggled the doorknob. Luckily, it was unlocked. He mouthed a silent "Thank you" to no one in particular, and went into the room. He fumbled for the light switch, then finding it, flicked it on, and closed the door behind him. 

His suitcase sat just inside the door. He sat his backpack down, and lifted the other bag. He began to carry it across the room, then had on a whim, dropped it, and began to kick it across the room, until it was next to the beds. Strange, but it helped him vent a little, picking on an inanimate object. Even though he had left several hours ago, not anticipating coming back, the bed he had been using still lay unmade. Hmmmmm... He quickly fixed the covers, and placed the case on the bed. He opened it, and absentmindedly removed item after item. He straightened out several folded items of clothing, and went to hang them back up. 

Several small 'things' remained in his luggage, but he left them there, as he zipped the case closed, and placed it in the closet next to Ethan's duffel bag. Now what? He sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. The party would probably go on for hours. Thinking on it, he should have gone back with Lizzie, but it was too late now. He could use an aspirin, but there were none here. Maybe a little rest was all he needed. 

But he didn't want to rest. His mind was racing. He jumped up, and paced the room, thinking.. That kiss could have meant something major, or nothing at all. Knowing Lizzie, the only way he would find out is to ask. And he just couldn't, not now. If only he had thought of something better to do than say "Thanks" when she kissed him. How incredibly lame was that? It had happened so fast, his mind had gone blank. He had often envisioned what would he would do if he could kiss her, and in many ways, that was nothing like it. 

He made a fist and hit himself in the forehead a few times. Stupid, stupid, stupid, how could be be so stupid? Sometimes being so, so, well, so analytical, so critical, so predictable, it worked against him. Why couldn't he be more spontaneous? Even when he tried to do something 'on a whim', he couldn't. He had to think of all the cons and pros before making it look like he was acting impulsively. He was always trying to 'play it safe', and this was one of those times he should have just reacted, and dealt with the consequences. Consequences? Ha! What would be the worst thing that would happen if he had kissed back? NOTHING! It wasn't like she'd slap him for it. She kissed him. He just didn't expect it, and simply didn't know how to handle it. She must think he was cold and unfeeling...

He stopped dead in his tracks. What a dumb thing to think! After all he'd done for her, after all the years they'd been friends, there was no way she'd think him that small, that shallow, but just about anyone else in that situation would have had the brains to react correctly. Even Ethan could have handled it better, and his I.Q. was just a smidge higher than a jar of mayonnaise. At least, Ethan would have said something more substantial, and attempted to find out WHY she kissed him. He never had found out what caused the kiss during the yearbook picture, he didn't know how to bring it up, and she volunteered no information. 

He walked over to the window, and looked out. He would rather die than ever hurt Lizzie. There was a 0.01% chance that if he had kissed back, that he would be unable to stop himself from forcing her into doing something she didn't want. A miniscule possibility, but it was there. He was afraid he'd suddenly take advantage of her, and go too far. This wasn't the first opportunity he had let pass, but how many more could there be? Was that a 'moment of truth', and he was just too blind to realize it? The time for him to finally show her he loved her as more than a best friend? The kiss was almost as fantastic as he'd imagined it would be, almost, because it was missing something. It was missing his participation. He spun away from the window and told his brain to just SHUT up. Why should he continue to beat himself up, and second guess what 'might have been'? What would all this accomplish? 

His stomach growled. He pressed his fingers to his ribs, in attempt to control his insides, but to no avail. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, which could be another reason for his poor judgement a few minutes prior. He hadn't even taken a bite of food from the party. Maybe Ethan had some food stashed in his stuff. He located Ethan's knapsack, and pawed through it. A CD player? Score! He had neglected to bring his portable along. He wasn't the stereotypical teen, headphones locked to his ears, but it was said that music soothed the savage beast, maybe soft music would help to heal his tortured soul. 

He adjusted the headphones, set the volume and hit play. He heard guitars. 

_ Wake up in the morning   
Looking a little rough   
Today I don't know who I am   
Today is not enough _

So I go up to the mirror   
Strike another pose... 

Bleah! He shut it off, removed the headphones, and opened the machine. He read the artist and title. Haylie Duff? Who was that? Probably some wannabe rock chick that only people like Ethan Craft knew about. In spite of himself, he laughed. Those lyrics fit Ethan to a tee. He set the player aside, and kept looking for sustenance. Alright! This looked promising, something wrapped in a paper napkin. He replaced the CD player, and put the knapsack away. 

He carried the small bundle back to 'his' side of the room. He sat back down on the side of the bed, trying to discern what was inside, trying to decide if it was edible. Carefully, he unwrapped it, wondering what it contained. Hmmm, looked like cookie sticks. Wait, he'd seen this before, what was it? He racked his brain for the name. Biscotti, that was it. One piece appeared to be chocolate, the other contained almond slivers. He bit into the darker piece, and was rewarded with a crunchy, sweet goodness. Wow! Too bad they didn't sell these back in Hillridge... He quickly ate both pieces, and wished for more. He could have polished off a dozen without effort, but two was all he had. Oh well, at least now his stomach wouldn't try to eat itself. 

His mouth was incredibly dry now. He sprung up from the bed, and went into the spacious bathroom. He turned on the faucet, cupped his hands, used it to wash his mouth out. He took a few sips. Tap water was definitely not his favorite beverage, but this was much better than what was available back home. He took another minute or two to use the facilites. He started to leave, then decided to leave the light on, and the door cracked. 

He returned to the other room, turned off the overhead lamp, and stood there in the dim light. He should go to bed. It was a little warm in the room, but he didn't feel like opening the window. He lay on top of the covers, and finally began to relax. His mind began to race once more with "What if" situations, and he tried his best to shut it off. 

It took an hour, maybe two, but finally he fell into a deep sleep. Even in his dreams he had yet more visions of what should have happened, and what still might be. So asleep was he, that he didn't notice when Ethan entered. His new roommate was just a step behind. Sergei had brought a cot with him, and he set it up in an unoccupied area of the suite. Both he and Ethan took turns in the restroom, getting ready for bed. Neither awoke Gordo, he'd discover the new arrangements in the morning. Soon they were in slumberland, sleeping almost as soundly as Mr. Gordon. 

** A/N A little hard on himself, isn't he? Well, in some ways I'm playing out stuff that happened to me, through the character of Gordo. But things WILL get better for him, I promise. **

Hope I proofread this enough, the last chapter I found a TON of mistakes. Find any? Let me know... I probably shouldn't upload stuff at 4 AM. 

Thanks for reading! If you like, review, or email (JP5683@msn.com) or IM (AOL JP five 683 MSN JP5683@msn.com Yahoo JP5683) me. Send me comments, questions, praises, or flames, your choice. 

THANKS! 

JP 

Song in this chapter: 

Haylie Duff - Girl In The Band 

August 9, 2003 


	4. You Make Me Sick, But I'm Sick Of Myself

** A/N As always, thanks for all the great reviews! (JessDracoLover24! Jenn! I3ittersweet! Shippie! pixie! Tic-Tac! Mango! Opaque Soul! iluvgordo2much! Jaime!) and thanks to those who have IM'ed me, as well as those who have read, but not reviewed. **

No comments about referring to Haylie in the last chapter? Surprise, surprise. It was a little odd that after what I titled the last chapter, when I got the LMM DVD, the final segment is titled "Capturing the Moment"... Strange coincidence... 

One reviewer said I must be a perfectionist, and reading my stories is like reading a book. Perfectionist? Yes and no. I want it to be a certain way, yes, but perfect it's not. I tweaked the last chapter a little, I used a certain phrase too much... Have ideas how I can make this better? Let me know... 

A book? Well, that's the way it should be, right? I want you to 'see' it, as well as read it. I try to be very descriptive. I tend to figure out later though, that I left something out. Depending on how 'big' it is, sometimes I change it, sometimes I don't. 

I'm registered with 'Support Services', so if you want, you can get an 'alert' when I update. The option to do so is on the same pull-down menu where you review from. I also have an @fanfiction.net email address, although I'm not sure how to get into it... :-/ 

Anyways, I type too much in these notes... Chapter title is taken from songs by Pink and Matthew Sweet. 

Disclaimer- Don't work for Disney or Ren-Mar Studios. 

On to Chapter 3. 

Chapter 3 

You Make Me Sick, But I'm Sick Of Myself 

  


--------------------------------------------------------------- 

  


He woke up hot and sweaty. Angrily, he threw the covers away. Almost instanteously, he felt relief. The feeling was short-lived. Just a few minutes later, he was now freezing. He muttered something under his breath, and jumped up to reclaim his discarded bedding. Bad move! His stomach felt like a clothes dryer stuck on the spin cycle. His head throbbed, as if it would pop any second. 

Did anyone get the license plate of that truck? After it ran him over, it must have backed up, and flattened him some more. He tried to recall all that had happened over the last 24 hours. So much had happened, it seemed more like it took a week than a day. 

He smiled when he remembered the concert, and the rooftop, and then... His heart sank and his smile turned to a frown. The rooftop, and the elevator, two places he'd missed a series of golden opportunities. Stupid, stupid. 

"Gordon, Why did you pass up so many chances to reveal what you feel?" He only thought it, but the words reverberated in his head. 

He took a deep breath to calm himself. Relax, relax. He had to relax. At this rate, he was going to give himself an ulcer before he turned sixteen. 

What time was it anyways? He looked up at the ceiling, then towards the window. It had to be around five or six o'clock, it was no longer pitch black, yet, the sun was not up yet. He moved to the edge of his bed, and dangled his hand off the side. He always kept his watch just under the edge of the bedframe so he could find it easily, and it wouldn't get hurt. His fingers just brushed the band. He leaned over to pick it up. 

His stomach felt like he had that worm monster thing from Men in Black 2 inside. He snatched up the watch and made a run for the bathroom, trying to get there as fast as he could without making noise. He just made it in time to literally 'toss his cookies'. 

"That tasted a LOT better going down than it did coming up..." he thought to himself. Ewwwww! Why did he have to think that? He flushed, and the sound intensfied his migraine. He leaned against the side of the sink, for a two-fold purpose. 1) to re-gain strength. 2) to wait and see if he needed to expel anything else from his insides. When he decided he had no need 'ride the porcelain bus' again, he checked his watch. 5:25. He hated mornings. Better hurry up and finish. He definitely needed more sleep. He started to wash his hands, then pulled away, as if it were fire instead of water. 

His eyes had found the bottled water set-up on the sink. Had he remembered to use that and not the tap water when he had gotten ready for bed a few short hours ago? He couldn't remember, but if he had to think about it, the answer was probably no. He thought of what he had been told about what happened when tourists drank the water. The effect could be almost as bad as what happened to those who drank the water in Mexico, 'Montezuma's Revenge'. 

Well, so much for feeling better, but at least he could try for more sleep. He silently berated himself for being so foolish as he dragged his sorry body back to bed. He stopped, and listened. Ethan was snoring! He had something on him! He looked over at the sleeping Mr. Craft. Even asleep, he still had perfect hair. He moved a little closer to Ethan. 

Wait! Ethan wasn't snoring. Were the walls really, really thin? No. He looked around, and what he saw should have shocked him, yet he was so out of it, he really didn't care. Across the room, there was a large cot, and it held a large man. He was snoring heavily, and turned towards Gordo. Why would a strange man be in the room? He looked closely. It was that bodyguard guy. The one who worked for that slimeball Paolo. 

Ugh. He didn't want to think of Paolo. Ever since Lizzie had mentioned him, he knew something was up with that, that, errrrgh. He hated to use such language, even to describe that loser. "Push it out of your mind, David, that's over," he muttered as he forced himself to remain calm. He really didn't want to get all worked up again. So he had a new roommate. So what? He'd figure it out later. He limped back to bed, placed his watch back in its 'safe' place, and crawled under the covers. His mind was starting to race again, but his stomach had slowed its churning. 

Now Ethan, if he thought about it, he wasn't such a bad guy. Being short on brains was no criminal offense, but sometimes he just didn't understand how he could be so clueless, so out of it. When he talked to him, he swore he could hear his own brain cells dying off, popping like old light bulbs. 

He snorted. Ethan wasn't brain-dead, he was. After all that had happened, he had to go and drink tap water. he knew better. It's as if he WANTED to get sick or something. Wait, maybe he did just a little... Then he wouldn't have to face Lizzie and everyone else. But he'd have to sooner or later, so why put it off? He wrestled with a thousand thoughts and scenarios, as he drifted into a fitful sleep...

His rest period ended abruptly when he was awakened what seemed like minutes later, by a loud knocking on the door. He opened his eyes just enough to see. It was morning, but when? The knocking continued, but he was in no shape to answer it. He looked across at the other bed. Ethan hadn't stirred. What's-his-name was still asleep too. Should he answer it? He sure didn't want to move. 

He didn't have to. He soon heard the voice of DOOM, err, Ms. Ungermeyer. She was the type that didn't require a microphone, she had one built-in. No, wait. She'd used a megaphone at the airport. He guessed she was using it now. "CRAFT!!! GORDON!!! Meet me by the elevator in 10 minutes! You too Sergei!" 

Well, that woke up his roomies. Sergei, that was the name of the large guy in the corner. Speaking of which, he was awake now. He had gotten up, and was trying to rouse Ethan. 

"Oh hey there! You're that dude! The tour guide dude!" Ethan didn't seem at all fazed by this guy. But tour guide? Whaa? 

"Excuse me, young sir, Sergei is bodyguard. Not guide for tours." 

"Whoa! So like you protect like protect rich and famous dudes, and stuff? You like jump in front of bullets and die for them and whatever? That's awesome!" 

Ethan seemed almost starstruck. 

"I suppose, but it's my job, or it was..." He trailed off, and Ethan did not prompt him further. Gordo lay there, just listening, wondering how he came to be in this situation. What exactly was Sergei doing there? Only one way to find out... 

"So, uhhh, Sergei, that's your name right?" He paused and the man nodded. He continued. "What's the deal? What's this about tours? Why are you here?" He had fifteen questions ready to ask at once, but those would suffice for now. He lay back on the pillows, and waited. 

The man opened his mouth to explain, but was cut off before he could utter a sound, buy the remarkable Mr. Craft. Ethan adopted an accent for no good reason. "Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. Buttercup is marrying Humperdinck in a little less than half an hour, so all we have to do is get in, break up the wedding, steal the Princess, make our escape, after I kill Count Rugen." 

He should have known Ethan wouldn't make a bit of sense. Against his better judgement, Gordo interrupted. "What are you talking about? This is not a movie, and your name is not Inigo Montoya!" Oh yeah, this was a commonplace scenario. 

Immediately Ethan apologized. "Sorry Gor-DON, sorry guard dude, always wanted to say that. Go ahead, guard dude, tell him whatup about the rest of the trip." 

Sergei looked Ethan over with an incredible amount of patience. He took a deep breath and began to speak, this time without interference. "Sergei. The name is Sergei. Mr. Gordon, I do believe you have to be told what happened last night." 

Oh no. Gordo froze. Lizzie had gone back, told what had happened, and now this big lug had been hired to keep an eye on him, and keep him away from her. He held his breath, as Sergei informed him the best he could of what would happen before the end of the trip. In a way, it was unbelievable. He knew neither he nor Lizzie was totally off the hook for the past few days' events, but giving Ethan and Kate the same punishment? Ms. Ungermeyer must know what she was doing, but, nevermind. He was in no mood to figure it all out. He'd just have to roll with it. He wouldn't be going today with them anyways, given his current condition. 

"Dude! We gotta get ready! C'mon Gor-DON, Guard dude! Let's go!" Gordo sighed. 

"Ethan! It's pronounced 'Gor-dunn'. Whatever. You get ready, I'm not feeling good. And his name," he paused to point to his new roomie, "is Sergei. Surrrr-gay. Got it?" 

"Sure Gor-DON, no prob. Stay and rest, I'll get dressed first." He bounded out of bed, grabbed his clothes, and was off. 

He'd never get through to Ethan. All his brains were in his hair, and he combed them out daily. 

It had to be three, maybe four minutes since their rude awakening. Ethan changed in less than two, then took time out to 'poof' his hair. Heh, Gordo's hair 'poofed' whether he wanted it to or not. But if he had straighter hair, he'd probably want it curly. He sighed. The grass is always greener in someone else's garden. Sergei began to get ready, cleaning up, putting away his 'bed'. Gordo stayed right where he was. He wanted more sleep, but there was just enough noise in the room to keep him awake. He grabbed at his watch. 7:22. Too early. He was not now, nor had he even been a morning person. He had just gotten comfortable when there was another knock on the door. 

Sergei rose to answer it, and conversed quickly and quietly with the visitor. A few seconds later, the door closed. Gordo opened his eyes. He was looking into Ms. Ungermeyer's eyes. He closed his eyes, and re-opened them. Nope, she wasn't an illusion. She was there. Now what? 

"Mr. Gordon?" He watched her closely. She was almost being too nice. "I hear that you aren't feeling well. That's too bad." She looked genuinely concerned about him. Maybe he wasn't in the doghouse with her anymore. 

"Well, I think it's because I didn't eat much yesterday, and I drank a little of the water..." Great, anyone knew they had to eat or they'd get sick. Now she'd think he was just stupid. 

"Awww. That's too bad you picked today to get sick. Know why?" He shook his head slightly. Even a little shake hurt. He waited for her answer. 

"Because after what happened with Ms. McGuire, I don't care! Unless you have something broken, you are going to go with the others! I'm going to tell you a little story. You like stories, don't you? When I was your age, I tried to play the 'I'm sick' routine to get out of school. A lot of times I wasn't sick at all. When my dad realized that, he decided he wouldn't let me play hooky anymore. The next time I said I was sick, I really was. He told me, 'Sick? Throw up and prove it.' I did. Then he said 'Feel better?' When I said I did, he said, 'Good. Now go to school!' So I did. I'm telling you the same! You have five more minutes! And if you don't show, you will be returning home today! I believe you are familar with the airport? Do you understand? Now get up!" 

He managed a barely audible "Yes",He understood. Boy, did he ever. He slowly got up. He felt like an 85 year old man. He popped his joints. Ahhhh! That felt better. 

Ms. Ungermeyer started for the exit. "Remember five minutes! No more! Help him Mr. Craft! Sergei!" 

"I don't need any help!" Gordo resisted when they tried to help him up. He like to do things by himself. He would not let Mr. Brain Dead and Mr. Muscle help him. He found clothes that were relatively clean, and looked halfway decent together.. Mustering up all his strength, he went off to wash and change. 

Four minutes and some odd seconds later, he was ready. Ethan and Sergei had left. He double checked what he needed to take for the day, and went to join them. He felt a little better than he had before, but not much. He needed a shower, but there was no time for that now. He did NOT want to go out in his current state. He was unwell in both mind and body. He opened the door, and found Ms. Ungermeyer on the other side ready to knock. He forced a smile, and slowly walked with her over to where Lizzie, Ethan, and Kate, and their 'guide' were waiting. 

** A/N I said things would get better for Gordo, and they will, just... not yet. I wanted to have this up more than a week ago, but 'stuff' happened. Will try to get the next done sooner. One day I really want to work on this, the next day... I want to just delete it. I have a thousand ideas, but don't know how to use them. Oh well. And I WILL be moving it along soon. They will go back home maybe next chapter or the one after. **

I didn't do anything to this chapter for a few days. Got a lot of stuff in progress, this just got set aside. I do plan to continue, do plan to finish. 

In between Chapters 2 and 3, I got the LMM on DVD, Lalaine's CD, Hilary's CD, and saw Lalaine live in concert. :-) :-) 

If you like, review or email me at JP5683@msn.com or IM me (AOL JP five 683 Yahoo JP5683 MSN JP5683@msn.com) 

Thanks,   
JP 

August 31, 2003 


	5. Here We Are Still Together, We Aren't On...

**A/N First off --- major major apologies for taking so long to update. It took beyond forever to write this. I got a major case of writer's block, then got sick for a couple of weeks, and didn't even try to add even one word. Then more writer's block, followed by many, many days when I wanted to write, but simply had no time. I can't believe it's been a whole YEAR since I last updated. I had most of this done months ago, and I wanted to add more, but just couldn't. I cut it earlier than I originally planned to, and just edited a bit.**

**Second, props to the reviewers. (PersonY2K, I Am Moo (two reviews!), Becca, Jaime, JessDracoLover24, Tic-Tac, shippie!) Third, thanks to all those who didn't post a review. (It's ok, really, I don't review other people's stories nearly enough, I haven't read many recently either...). I tried to add a little more L/G ness here. Hope this chapter doesn't suck too much. Here we go...  
  
Disclaimer- Don't work for Disney or Ren-Mar Studios. Don't own a thing, not even the names I made up for this chapter.  
  
On to Chapter 4.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Here We Are... Still Together, We Aren't One  
**  
She asked herself for about the six hundred and twenty-seventh time why she was here. Well, not HERE here, but Rome, the class trip. She was all ready to go to Waterslide Wonderland, when Mr. Escobar had called. A spot on the trip to Rome was open, and she didn't have to pay a single cent. Did she want to go? DUH! That was liking asking if mice loved cheese. The answer to both questions was unquestionably yes. She'd wanted to go ever since the trip had been announced a month before, but there was no way her mother could come up with the amount of money needed for the excursion.  
  
It sounded too good to be true, which usually meant it was, but Mr. Escobar explained that since Margaret Chan couldn't go, but had paid, her parents were 'donating' her place on the trip. Why her? Why not Larry, or Claire, or Parker, or anyone else? He told her Mr. Dig had decided how to pick the recipient of the free 'vacation'. It was definitely something only he would think of. In order to make it interesting, they had started calling students in backwards alphabetical order. For some reason, they were unable to reach Krystal Wright, and Caitlin Williams. Tudgeman had turned the offer down, saying he couldn't leave home now, the annual Star Trek convention started next Tuesday. Eli Saxon wouldn't go unless Parker could go as well. So, that left lucky Kate Sanders.  
  
Of course, this was a trip most wouldn't pass up. She didn't. Without a second thought, she said 'Yes' and packed her bags. She didn't even take time to call Claire. She didn't care if this was a school 'outing', it could be the only chance she'd ever get to go to Rome. Rome! For two weeks in Rome, she could put up with anything. Until now, she was glad she came. Everything in Rome was great, and she'd actually had a good time. Unfortunately, now Lizzie had to go and wreck it all.  
  
She felt animosity towards Lizzie and Gordo welling up inside her. As soon as the feeling hit though, it vanished. She had actually gotten closer to her two former friends than she ever thought possible. She could have turned Lizzie in days ago, but didn't. So now she had to share in the punishment, because by not alerting Ms. Ungermeyer to Lizzie's escapades, she was...  
  
Kate's thoughts were interrupted as Ms. Ungermeyer came down the hall, Gordo in tow. Ugh. He looked terrible. She straightened up and flashed her future principal one of her patented smiles. She glanced over at Lizzie and Ethan. Ethan was in his own little world as usual, and Lizzie, well, she looked almost as bad as Gordo did. Sympathy pains? Nah.  
  
"Ms. McGuire, Ms. Sanders. Mr. Craft." Ethan did not respond, so she stepped directly in front of him, and tried again. "Mr. Craft!!!"  
  
"Uh, oh hi, Ms. Oscar Meyer. Wassup?"  
  
"My name is Ungermeyer! For your sake, I hope that slip-up was a one time incident. You are very, very lucky I'm in a hurry, or I'd, I'd... Argh!" She threw up her hands. She was wasting her valuable time arguing with this junior neanderthal. She turned back to the others. "Sergei, I trust that you will keep an eye on these four. I have to go meet the others downstairs now. We're going shopping! Be back by 6 PM! And with that she was gone.  
  
Lizzie couldn't take her eyes off Gordo. He looked terrible. Even worse than how he'd looked last night. Last night. Oh God, was she to blame? She went over to talk to him, but Sergei cut her off.  
  
Sergei took Gordo's face in his hands, and looked into his eyes, turning his head this way and that. He laughed. "If I did not know better, I would say, YOU sir have a hangover, but since I DO know better, I will say that it is something else. No matter what it is, I know how to fix it. Everyone, take yourselves and follow me."  
  
He took off like a shot, and surprisingly, Ethan was the first to follow. Kate was right behind, and Lizzie and Gordo were soon alone. "Come on, Gordo, we have to go." He was propped up against the wall, but he looked ready to topple over at any moment. Why was Ms. Ungermeyer making him go out when he was obviously sick? Because she, Lizzie McGuire, had ruined it for everyone. Now the only way any of them could stay behind is if they lost an arm or something. She took hand, and pulled him along. His hand was cold and clammy. She re-adjusted, and held him by the wrist instead. She wondered what her family would do while they were here. They hadn't gone with the Ungermeyer bunch, and she guessed her parents were asleep, they were probably suffering from jet lag. Her spiky-headed brother had discovered the desk clerk Giorgio had a laptop computer, and he had offered its use to Matt to contact Lanny and Melina. He was probably in the hotel lounge. They walked around the corner to the elevator.  
  
That is, they walked to where the elevator SHOULD be. But it was gone. This was crazy! They weren't THAT far behind the other three. Gordo again rested against the wall, while Lizzie thought.  
  
"Lizzie, I don't feel so good." The first words he'd spoken to her in hours. He sounded like a five year old. He didn't care. He felt like left-over leftovers.  
  
Her heart went out to him. She hated to see him not his usual self. However, she was speechless. She nodded her head, and frowned, to show him she sympathized with him. Then before she knew it, she was running her fingers through his hair. Just the right hand, but nonetheless. She quickly tousled his hair a bit, and let go. What a childish thing for her to do. But what a release. She'd been dying to do that for months, ever since he had declared he wouldn't get his hair cut for a whole year. She loved his curls, and now there were so many more.  
  
Oh, how he loved that. It felt like thousands of volts of electricity were coursing through his veins. Part of the reason Lizzie was attracted to Ethan was his 'good hair', and his own curly mop was definitely not what you would call 'good hair', was it? He loved her touch on his hair as much as the touch of her hand. He loved the physical contact. When she'd kissed him on the forehead a few days before, he'd been shocked to say the least. Lizzie had always been perky, but she kissed him! And last night was the third kiss in the last two weeks, and it was the BIG one. Why hadn't he returned the kiss? If only he had... Her angelic voice broke his train of thought, and pulled him back into reality.  
  
"Gordo? Maybe we should use the stairs?" She prodded him for a reply.  
  
"Uh, yeah, sure, whatever." They took nary a step when unexpectedly, the elevator returned. The doors opened, and Sergei emerged.  
  
He called to them. "Is best you come now." They walked over to him. Well, Lizzie walked, Gordo wobbled. She helped him into the car, and prepared to enter as well. She was stopped by the large man.  
  
"It is best for you to take stairs, Ms. McGuire."  
  
She frowned. "Why? There is plenty of room! Three of you just went down a couple of minutes ago!"  
  
"Yes, but it was how do you Americans say? "A tight squeeze" He laughed. "Mr. Gordon needs air and space in here. You need not worry." He pressed a series of buttons, pulled the doors shut, and left a stunned Lizzie behind.  
  
Fine, she'd take the stupid stairs. She arrived downstairs just seconds ahead of the elevator. Kate and Ethan stood off to the side, talking and laughing about something, but when Lizzie entered they quickly became still. What was going on? It was impossible to find out, as just then Sergei came through the lobby, barking orders. "Come, you must follow now!" She looked around, her brother was nowhere to be seen, but interestingly, American top 40 music was coming from outside. She listened carefully, and heard Matt's voice singing along. She barely had time to register all this as the quartet followed the big man.  
  
The four of them tagged behind, with again, Ethan and Kate in the lead, and Lizzie and Gordo bringing up the rear. He led them outside to a car. He pulled some keys from his pocket, fingered a small device, pressed a button and deactivated the alarm. Ethan ran up to the car, checking out every facet. He even kicked the tires for good measure.  
  
"Whoa. This is a NICE car. I guess being in the spy business is good for the bank account, eh, Sergei?  
  
"Mr. Craft. Am not spy, like James Bond. I am, well was, a bodyguard."  
  
Ethan wasn't listening one bit. He pulled on the passenger door handle without success. He stepped back. "I call shotgun!"  
  
Kate was by his side in a flash, pulling him back. "ETH-an!," she whined. "Gordo is sick. Let him sit in the front for now."  
  
Ethan looked at her blankly, then acted as if he actually understood. "Oh yeah!" He stepped back, and ran his fingers through his hair, waiting for Mr. Gordon.  
  
Sergei pressed a different button on his keychain attachment, opened the door. and helped Gordo into the passenger seat. A third button opened the rear doors. Before Ethan could rush ahead, Kate began to bark orders. "Me first, then Lizzie, then you." She poked Ethan hard in the ribs, and he winced, but nodded.  
  
A thousand thoughts raced through Lizzie's mind as the trio entered the vehicle, according to Kate's wishes. "Why is she telling me to go into the middle? If Ethan went first, then I went last, she'd be keeping me away from him. Is this some kind of weird test?" Ethan leaned into her as he pulled the door shut. Normally, any physical contact with the young Mr. Craft would make her ecstatic and turn to jelly, but now she felt nothing. Well, she felt Kate's arm as she bumped her former friend, but there were no longer any sparks with Ethan. For right now, her attention (and her heart) were with the young man slumped in the front seat. She could see just the top of his curly head, and strained herself for a better look, as Sergei started the car, and she fell back. She turned to the right and found Kate watching her with a half-smile on her face. She quickly looked away, and at the floor, the door handle, the rooftop, anywhere but to her left, or the front.  
  
It seemed that they had just left, but in Sergei's state-of-the-art vehicle, they were already about a mile from the hotel. She had no idea where they were going, but the large man in the driver's seat was driving as if he knew exactly what he was doing. She was worried. What did they know about him, really? What if he was going to kidnap them all? What if Gordo threw up in the car? He was belted in firmly, and the car handled well, but she knew when Gordo was sick, and now he was definitely sick. She shouldn't have let him leave the hotel.  
  
She didn't realize it but again, she was staring at Gordo... She quickly looked over at Ethan and then Kate. Ethan looked concerned, and again, Kate was smiling at her. Ethan leaned forward a little, made a motion to Kate, and mouthed something Lizzie couldn't get. Kate nodded, turned to her and opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped abruptly, as the car hit a bump. It was deadly silent, she couldn't take the silence any more. It was the loudest quiet she'd ever heard!  
  
She got an idea, and called out. "Uh Mr. uh, Mr. Sergei? Is there a possibility that you could turn on the radio? He nodded in affirmation, and activated the car's sound system, getting nothing but static. He tried several stations, leaving it on each frequency for just a few seconds. Classical, news in Italian, a call-in talk show, more static. He went around the dial twice, and looked very frustrated, suddenly a voice boomed through the car's speakers...  
  
_"Ow woo! This is Flash Johnny on Pirate Italia radio coming to you loud and clear over the city of Rome. Where am I? I am here, and that is not there, but you can reach me on the email at And I have a request from an 'M-Dogg' here. Well, Mr. Dogg, here's your song!"  
_  
At that very second the car stopped and the radio with it. "We are here," stated Sergei matter-of-factly. But where was here?  
  
**A/N I tried and tried to get this up earlier, but just couldn't do it. I hate that it took so long. I don't want to give up on this story, but I may be in over my head. I know what I would like to write later, but not these first few chapters. I'll have to think on it. Too many times I opened the document, and did nothing. Time goes too quickly. It also is harder for me to be using so many characters, and it doesn't help that I have no idea what Sergei's last name is.  
  
Should I attempt to continue? What should happen next? Is this too stupid and unbelievable? I've got a couple of ideas but don't really know how to develop them. Give me some ideas.  
  
It's been so long since I've updated, they changed so much here. I HAVE to plug the fabulous LM stories of my good friend Regg. His user ID is hmatsui.  
  
I have to overlook the fact that he's a Yankee fan, but he's a fantastic writer. Both Serendipity and A Second Chance are works of art, and I cannot pick which volume is my favorite. Grab a box of tissues before you check out these stories, then get swept up in a beautifully crafted tale.  
  
If you like, review or email me at or IM me (AOL JP five 683 Yahoo JP5683 MSN )  
  
As always, reviews are much appreciated, but never required.  
  
Thanks,**

**JP**

**August 31, 2004 **


End file.
